Proportion of patients receiving AAS, an ACE inhibitor and a statin among those without contraindications to any of these drugs Adherence to treatment measured by: Morinsky-Green test and Pill accountability. [ Time Frame: 18 months ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Adherence to treatment measured by the Morisky-Green questionnaire. According to this, patients will be classified as "Good adherents" when the total score ranges between 16 and 20 and as "Poor adherents" if the total score is <16 points

The aim of the FOCUS project is to test the Fixed Dose Combination concept for cardiovascular prevention in populations of different socio-economic characteristics. At the same time, FOCUS aims to understand the factors determining inappropriate prescribing for secondary cardiovascular prevention and those for poor patients adherence to treatment. This will allow FOCUS to establish recommendations for a better use of medication in patients with ischemic heart disease. In addition, after a successful completion of FOCUS, secondary prevention medication will be available and affordable for a large number of patients in both developed as well as developing countries.

Better knowledge of factors relates to inappropriate use of secondary cardiovascular prevention drugs and lack of adherence to treatment will help to design new strategies for improving patients' management.

A Fixed Dose Combination (FDC, polypill) including three components with a well demonstrated efficacy will improve secondary prevention in coronary patients by decreasing inappropriate prescribing and by reducing complexity of treatment and lack of adherence.

Phase 1 is a descriptive, non-interventional study. Its aim is to provide a comprehensive analysis of potential factors precluding adequate secondary prevention, including Health system characteristics, drugs affordability and availability, as well as patients' characteristics. Differences between the two studied regions (Europe and South America) will be analyzed.

Phase 2 is an interventional, randomized trial with prospective economic evaluation. It will be organised as a two-arm, randomised, parallel, multinational study. Patients completing the Phase 1, and fulfilling inclusion/exclusion criteria (see below), will be included in Phase 2. Patients will be randomized to receive a FDC of ramipril, simvastatin and acetylsalicylic acid or the three medications separately.

* Includes publications given by the data provider as well as publications
identified by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number) in Medline.

Recruitment Information

Recruitment Status ICMJE

Completed

Enrollment ICMJE

2118

Completion Date

June 2014

Primary Completion Date

May 2014 (final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

Eligibility Criteria ICMJE

Inclusion Criteria:

Phase 1: All patients, male and female, 40 years of age or older, with a history of ST-elevation AMI within the last 2 years, attending any of the selected sites and signing the consent

Phase 2: All patients, male and female, 40 years of age or older, with a history of ST-elevation AMI within the last 2 years, attending any of the selected sites and signing the consent Patients in whom secondary prevention with ASA, statin and ACEI is indicated, Signing informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

Phase 1: Patients in which any of the components of the FDC is contraindicated. Living in a nursing home. Memtal illness limiting the capacity of

Phase 2:Secondary dyslipemia, Patients in which any of the components of the FDC is contraindicated, Living in a nursing home, Mental illness limiting the capacity of self care, Participating in another trial, , Previous Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) with a drug eluting stent (DES) whitin the last year, Severe Congestive Heart Failure (NYHA III-IV), Serum creatinine >2 mg/dl, any condition limiting life expectancy <2 years. Pregnant or premenopausal women.

Gender

Both

Ages

40 Years and older

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Contacts ICMJE

Contact information is only displayed when the study is recruiting subjects